In the field of wireless communications, a wireless communication system may include, for example, one or more wireless communication stations, and one or more wireless Access Points (APs) able to communicate in accordance with a wireless communication standard or protocol, e.g., the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard.
The wireless station may perform a scanning operation in which one or more APs may be searched throughout an entire frequency bandwidth utilized by the station. The scanning operation may be performed, e.g., periodically, when the station is associated with an AP, e.g., as part of a roaming procedure; and when the station is not associated with an AP, e.g., in order to establish a wireless connection.
If performed when the station is associated, the scanning operation may interrupt wireless transmissions received and/or transmitted by the station. This may result in reduced quality and/or efficiency of the wireless transmissions. Additionally, the scanning operation may consume a relatively large amount of electrical power, e.g., if performed frequently and/or for long periods of time.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the drawings have not necessarily been drawn accurately or to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity or several physical components included in one functional block or element. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the drawings to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. Moreover, some of the blocks depicted in the drawings may be combined into a single function.